While growing up I lived in a world populated by larger than life heroes. Chief among these heroes was my sister. Throughout my life, my sister was my role model: more intelligent, more determined, and more successful than any other mere mortal. To say that she influenced my early schooling would be a gross understatement, rather, she defined my academic career well into high school. Before I had any idea of how grades would affect the remainder of my life, I always strove to try and surpass my older sister. Knowing that my sister had always read several years above her reading level, I endeavored to do the same, ravenously devouring any form of literature I could get my hands on until about the time I got into high school. Outside of my sister, the rest of my family helped shape me into the person I am today. My parents were both born in Lisbon, Portugal and only through hard work and tenacity did they carve their place in the middle class out. Both of my parents having had a college education, they knew the value of schooling and always encouraged me to take my studies seriously. I owe all of my academic successes to my family who inspired and drove me forward through years of school.
While growing up I lived in a world populated by larger than life heroes. Chief among these heroes was my sister. Throughout my life, my sister was my role model: more intelligent, more determined, and more successful than any other mere mortal. To say that she influenced my early schooling would be a gross understatement, rather, she defined my academic career well into high school. Before I had any idea of how grades would affect the remainder of my life, I always strove to try and surpass my older sister. Knowing that my sister had always read several years above her reading level, I endeavored to do the same, ravenously devouring any form of literature I could get my hands on until about the time I got into high school. Outside of my sister, the rest of my family helped shape me into the person I am today. My parents were both born in Lisbon, Portugal and only through hard work and tenacity did they carve their place in the middle class out. Both of my parents having had a college education, they knew the value of schooling and always encouraged me to take my studies seriously. I owe all of my academic successes to my family who inspired and drove me forward through years of school.